The Canadian Sugar Institute estimates that the average Canadian consumes about 16 teaspoons , more than one-third of a cup of sugar a day , apart from sugars naturally found in fruits, vegetables or dairy products.

Of course, sugar is not all bad: it’s a source of carbohydrates, which the body needs to produce energy, says Carol Dombrow, dietitian for the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s program who promotes a healthy diet.

However, he points out, there is no other nutrient in the usual sources of sugar, be it white, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey or maple syrup. Consumed in excess, it promotes tooth decay and can make you fat, increasing the risk of diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

If you try to limit consumption, beware of processed products : some contain much more than it seems at first glance

To find out how many teaspoons of sugar a product contains:

• Read the nutrition information: sugars are expressed in grams in the total carbohydrates section.
• Divide this number by 4 to convert it into tea spoons (one teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams).
• So, there are 3 teaspoons of sugar in one serving providing 12 grams.